From the suburbs of Lakewood Ranch, Florida, to the densely populated New York City, the young Gators ended their fall season Sunday competing at Florida’s highest level in recent years.
In Flushing, New York, freshman No. 2-seed Josie Kuhlman won the consolation singles title and No. 4-seed Brooke Austin reached the singles semifinals in the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships.
After dropping her first round in singles, Kuhlman progressed through consolations and defeated University of California Berkeley’s No. 16 Zsofi Susanyi in three sets (4-6, 7-5, 6-2) to win the consolations title.
"Josie’s added more offensive to her game, and her win (Sunday) certainly illustrates that," coach Roland Thornqvist said.
The 5-foot-6 right-hander also won the singles title in the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional Championships, Oct. 20., which got her in the ITA’s fall national tournament.
"I don’t need to say much to Josie really," Thornqvist said.
"She runs it herself. I’ll walk onto the court during her matches and just give her a point or two."
As for Austin, who dropped to the University of Virginia’s No. 6-seed Julia Elbaba (6-2, 6-4), her season included a singles title at the Duke Fab Four Invitational, Sept. 14.
"Certainly hit the jackpot when we got them," Thornqvist said.
Though he said the team isn’t relying on their leadership from the freshmen’s successes, just their points.
At the 2014 Lakewood Ranch Dick Vitale Intercollegiate Clay Court Classic, tandem Spencer Liang and Stefani Stojic won the doubles title after beat Oklahoma State University’s Katerina Adomovic and Vladica Babic, 8-1.
No. 1-seed Belinda Woolcock reached the singles finals but fell short to Adomovic who took home the singles title, 6-4, 6-0.
"Over the course of the fall, we actually had a better fall than I probably anticipated with half the team new," the 14th-year coach said.
Last year, the team had two seniors compete in the ITA nationals fall tournament, who both dropped in the first round of singles action and followed up with quick exits from singles consolations.
Last weekend, five Gators attended the tournament and two competed through several rounds.
Thornqvist said the team looks physically outstanding right now.
The players reduced practice time Monday, following the eight-hour rule, which will continue till break.
Thornqvist said the players will have to do some training independently to prepare for the regular season.
The Gators will begin their spring season in January at the ITA Kickoff Weekend in at the Ring Tennis Complex.
"With a young team that we have, I think it’s very important for us to be physically well-prepared for a grueling regular season in the spring," he said.
Follow Mary Francis on Twitter @_maryfrancis
Coach Roland Thornqvist looks down the courts of the Ring Tennis Complex during Florida's 4-0 win against Louisville on Aug. 25.
